2025 is sort of right here – however that is our rundown of one of the best ten smartphones of the final 12 months.
As we have now come to count on, the digicam {hardware} in lots of this 12 months’s telephones has acquired pretty incremental enhancements in comparison with earlier fashions. As a substitute, it is the computational facet the place the most important photographic enhancements could possibly be discovered this 12 months, with all the foremost manufactures integrating scary-smart AI into their digicam processing, and with some unimaginable outcomes.
Fortunately it isn’t simply the flagship telephones the place you may discover nice picture high quality, as in 2024 we have additionally been handled to a number of top-notch mid-range digicam digicam telephones for shooters in search of most bang per buck.
There are telephones on this checklist that we would advocate because the best camera phones you can purchase, but in addition some extra controversial selections. These may not take advantage of sense as a real-world buy, however we charge such handsets as they stand out from the gang in their very own means.
So let’s rely down our high ten telephones of 2024, in reverse order…
With flagship digicam telephones now simply topping the $1000/£1000 mark, we love a telephone that comes near providing comparable digicam high quality, however at a extra accessible worth level. The Honor 200 Professional does precisely that. At £699 (roughly $880, AU$1,330), it isn’t an inexpensive telephone, nevertheless it packs {hardware} that’ll give a real flagship handset a run for its cash. We reckon it is 2024’s greatest worth upper-mid-range digicam telephone.
The first digicam contains a 1/1.3-inch Omnivision sensor matched with an f/1.9 aperture lens with OIS – that is virtually as large as an iPhone 15 Professional Max’s sensor. It is flanked by a 12MP ultrawide snapper and a 50MP telephoto module giving 2.5x zoom. That is notably spectacular when taking portraits, due to the Studio Harcourt Portrait Mode which tastefully provides a classical portrait fashion whereas retaining the flexibleness to tune outcomes in-camera.
Issue the premium 6.78-inch, 1224 x 2700, high-brightness AMOLED display screen, top-end Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, plus 100W wired and 66W wi-fi charging, and the Honor 200 Professional gives an awesome deal for the worth.
In full: Honor 200 Pro review
Sony‘s flagship cameras have persistently impressed us annually, and 2024’s providing – the Xperia 1 VI – isn’t any exception. Its standout characteristic is its steady zoom telephoto lens. Constructed purely as a technological showcase, this variable focal vary periscope digicam provides you true optical zoom between 85mm and 170mm, with a large f/2.3-f/3.4 aperture. The actual fact the digicam additionally helps macro focus when set to 120mm – enabling handbook focus as close to as 4cm from a topic – is the icing on the cake. The continual zoom additionally works properly for 4K video seize, giving buttery-smooth focal size adjustment. We additionally beloved the Xperia 1 VI’s pared-back photograph processing, its exterior monitor and recording performance, and its glorious display screen and speaker setup.
So if the Xperia 1 VI is that this succesful, then why is it languishing at quantity 9 on our checklist? Effectively, different flagship cameras this 12 months beat the Xperia 1 VI’s low mild efficiency from its tele and ultra-wide cameras, whereas its 1/1.45″ main digicam sensor is comparatively small by flagship requirements. However the large drawback with the Xperia 1 VI is how a lot it prices. With a launch worth of £1,299 (roughly $1,650), it was pricier than just about all its most important rivals, making it robust to advocate truly shopping for one.
In full: Sony Xperia 1 VI review
Okay, so the OnePlus Open was launched in late 2023, nevertheless it’s nonetheless our high choose foldable in 2024 when you prioritize digicam high quality. A foldable telephone – even one pretty much as good as this – won’t ever outclass a standard, non-foldable flagship for digicam efficiency. With twin screens inevitably comes compromises, some being the standard of the digicam {hardware}.
However the OnePlus Open nonetheless manages to pack a decent digicam array, together with a high-end Sony LYTIA-T808 main digicam sensor, teamed with a 1/2-inch Sony IMX581 ultrawide sensor and a 1/2-inch telephoto digicam with a 3x periscope zoom lens. With assist from Hasselblad, the Open’s photograph processing can be glorious, additional serving to it to outclass its foldable rivals from Samsung and Google relating to picture high quality.
As you’d count on for a flagship foldable, you may pay a hefty worth to get your arms on an Open, and you will not even get wi-fi charging or IP-rated waterproofing. However that is nonetheless the primary foldable we’ve been in a position to wholeheartedly advocate primarily based on its digicam efficiency.
In full: OnePlus Open review
We make numerous fuss about flagship telephones, however comparatively few individuals are keen to really drop a four-figure sum on a brand new telephone. Mid-range handsets are the quantity sellers, and the competitors on this sector has been fierce this 12 months. Telephones just like the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G, Xiaomi 13T, or Nothing Phone (2) are all worthy contenders for our 2024 finances telephone award (I do know, $500/£500 is not everybody’s concept of ‘finances’ – myself included – however we nonetheless need nice digicam high quality from a telephone, and going cheaper than this can lead to noticeable picture high quality compromises).
There’s one telephone stands out at this worth level: the Pixel 8a. Certain, its twin-module digicam array is not essentially the most spectacular on paper, however Google’s class-leading picture processing, eerily good AI, and persistently dependable AF and metering means you are virtually assured to seize a horny photograph. The identical can be stated for capturing 4K video.
Downsides? It is plasticky (although this does imply it’s going to seemingly survive a drop higher than a glass-backed gadget), on-board storage is a bit stingy, and there isn’t any telephoto digicam. However right here Google’s good processing can compensate with in-sensor and AI zooming. Issue Google’s long-term Android replace assist for all Pixel telephones and this actually is 2024’s good selection for eager telephone photographers on a finances.
In full: Google Pixel 8a review
Although we have solely positioned it sixth, there isn’t any doubt that Apple‘s 2024 flagship, the iPhone 16 Professional Max, is a superb telephone. Its main digicam can shoot lovely pictures, ProRes video seize is especially spectacular, the display screen is great, and so is battery life.
Nevertheless, as is the case with each new iPhone of late, the 16 Professional Max gives little significant enchancment over its predecessor. The digicam {hardware} is essentially unchanged from the 15 Professional Max, leading to disappointing efficiency from the small-sensor telephoto and ultrawide modules. A minimum of Apple has launched the Motion Button although, as a devoted bodily digicam management, however even this is not excellent due to its awkward positioning.
On the telephone’s launch we have been additionally upset that Apple Intelligence wasn’t fairly prepared (it’s now), and we discovered iOS 18 to be annoyingly buggy, tarnishing Apple’s perceived superiority over Android for software program stability. Such bugs ought to have been ironed out by now, however they, just like the iPhone’s incremental {hardware} enhancements, are symptomatic of an organization that appears to be snug resting on its repute, fairly than giving us true innovation that equals or exceeds what we see within the Android sector.
In full: iPhone 16 Pro Max review
For a lot of, the Pixel 9 Professional would be the best camera phone of 2024. Virtually talking, it is sufficiently small to simply match into your palm and pocket, {powerful} sufficient to seize glorious images, and dependable sufficient to final a full day with out getting too toasty. Add the long-term software program assist promise from Google, and each the Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL telephones could possibly be good choices for years to come back.
What’s extra, which model you select actually would not matter from a digicam perspective. The truth that the Pixel 9 Professional suits all this into its smaller chassis makes it the extra particular telephone although, incomes it a spot in our annual high 10. Competing small telephones merely cannot match this sort of digicam high quality; notably the 9 Professional’s telephoto efficiency. Google’s superior picture enhancing choices and AI additional improve the telephone’s enchantment for photographers who’re snug with this degree of synthetic publish processing.
That is to not say the Pixel 9 Professional is ideal although. Just like the iPhone 16 Professional, its digicam {hardware} is not considerably higher than that within the mannequin it replaces, however that is been the case for a lot of previous Pixels. What makes the distinction right here is Google’s beautiful picture processing, which by no means fails to enhance and impress annually.
In full: Google Pixel 9 Pro review
Just like the OnePlus Open, the OnePlus 12 was launched on the tail finish of 2023, nevertheless it nonetheless holds its personal in 2024 in opposition to extra fashionable rivals. Current OnePlus flagships have been good, however the OnePlus 12 is a very nice digicam telephone. It combines a good 50MP, 1/1.43-inch Sony LYT-808 sensor for its most important digicam with a 64MP periscope telephoto module giving 3x zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide digicam that is additionally appropriate for macro work. All three modules produce respectable picture high quality, with the first digicam benefiting from Hasselblad’s refined photograph processing that realistically balances shadows and highlights, whereas capturing wealthy colours, reasonable however intensive dynamic vary, in addition to crisp element.
And it isn’t simply digicam efficiency that earns the OnePlus 12 a spot this far up our rating. It additionally impressed us with its premium styling, long-lasting battery life, flagship-worthy energy, and its quick wired and wi-fi charging. Contemplating its extremely aggressive Stateside pricing, it gives excellent worth within the US. It is extra expensive in Europe, however remains to be an awesome purchase provided that it has no vital efficiency shortcomings.
In full: OnePlus 12 review
Samsung comes into our annual awards with an issue: its flagship S-series telephones are often launched in the beginning of the 12 months, giving the competitors time to catch up by the point we compile our finish of 12 months round-up. However even 11 months after is was launched, the S24 Extremely remains to be one in all our high three telephones of the 12 months.Â
It’s obtained nice appears to be like, an expensive really feel, ultra-fast efficiency, and it takes persistently good images and movies. A lot of the digicam {hardware} is unchanged from the S23 Extremely, however due to Samsung’s revised picture processing and intelligent AI, the S24 Extremely nonetheless manages to out-perform its predecessor relating to digicam efficiency, and that is no imply feat.
General, the S24 Extremely is a delight to make use of. Its worth was laborious to abdomen at launch, however with the S25 Extremely proper across the nook, reductions can now be had on an S24 Extremely, giving it continued enchantment.
In full: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review
With the Discover X8 Professional, Oppo got down to topple the likes of the S24 Extremely and Pixel 9 Professional. Lengthy-time Oppo companion, Hasselblad, helped tune the Discover X8 Professional’s picture high quality, whereas the quad-camera array options not one however two periscope telephoto cameras. Add in loads of AI trickery and the Discover X8 Professional is able to as much as 120x zoom, with minimal loss in picture high quality.
The digicam {hardware} is backed up by a super-powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset, which permits 7fps burst capturing pace and 0 shutter lag. Mix that with the superior optical zoom and it is a telephone that may genuinely be used for capturing distant wildlife or fast-paced sports activities. The Discover X8 is even rated to the utmost IP69 mud and water resistance.
When you think about that regardless of its excellent digicam efficiency, the Discover X8 Professional is priced to undercut an equivalently-specced Galaxy S24 Extremely, Pixel 9 Professional or iPhone 16 Professional Max, you find yourself with one in all 2024’s highest digicam telephones.
In full: Oppo Find X8 Pro review
In a 12 months the place many digicam telephone producers focussed on AI integration as a substitute of digicam {hardware} enhancements, Xiaomi‘s flagship telephone did issues otherwise. Its extra-large 1-inch-type main digicam sensor outclasses competing choices from the likes of Apple, Google and Samsung, and simply to actually up the ante, Xiaomi paired it with a f/1.63-4.0 variable aperture and a top-tier Leica Summilux lens. The ultrawide, telephoto and periscope telephoto modules are virtually as spectacular, making this the best-performing digicam array we have seen on a smartphone this 12 months.
What’s extra, the 14 Extremely additionally gives intensive handbook digicam management, superlative RAW pictures, glorious 8K video, and the power to shoot in log and HDR to nice impact. After which there’s the icing on the cake: the 14 Extremely could be fitted with Xiaomi’s elective Images Package – a neatly designed digicam grip with devoted bodily digicam controls, a hand strap attachment, and even a built-in 1500mAh battery that may increase the telephone’s battery life by 23%.
Xiaomi went all-out to make the 14 Extremely one of the best digicam telephone of the 12 months, and it succeeded. Although not fairly flawless, it will get darned shut!
In full: Xiaomi 14 Ultra review
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